Bad Credit Loans in Alberta
How to Get the Money You Need
When you have bad credit, loans can be challenging to get whether you live in Alberta or anywhere else in Canada. So if you need money, what can you do? Maybe you’re struggling to make your rent or mortgage payment, you’ve got household bills to pay, and your credit cards are maxed out. You may have tried looking for online loans and are now contemplating – or have tried – payday loans. But honestly, in the back of your mind you’re wondering if any of these are really going to help improve your financial situation.
The truth probably is that you’ve gone through a rough patch recently, you feel like you’re out of options, and you really don’t know of a better way to handle things right now other than to try and get a loan for bad credit. So below we explain some steps you can take to try and get a loan in Alberta when you’re saddled with a bad credit rating. However, if you would much rather find another way of dealing with your debts (one that’s very often far more effective), jump down to the last section in this article.
Personal Bad Credit Loans Have High Fees & Interest Rates
The first thing you need to recognize with a bad credit personal loan is that it will be really expensive. This is due to the simple reality that many times people with bad credit do not fully pay their debts. Because of this, lenders see anyone with poor credit as a significant risk. So they charge high interest rates and often fees upfront so that if someone defaults on their payments, the lender has already gotten a lot out of them. Unfortunately, whether you like it or not, this is the way the way things are.
Is a Personal Loan Able to Fix My Poor Credit Rating?
You should also recognize that getting a bad credit personal loan – whether it’s secured or unsecured – won’t fix your payment history. It took time for your credit rating to fall, and it will take a lot longer for it to go up again. One loan won’t magically fix it; however, time and managing your money better will help your poor credit rating recover. That’s the great thing about the credit rating system in Canada – it recognizes that bad things can happen to good people. So you can fix your credit and avoid personal loans with high fees and bad credit interest rates by managing your money and situation better.
Related: Click here to Learn How to Fix Your Credit Rating and Improve Poor Credit.
Things You’ll Need to Get a Loan with Bad Credit in Alberta
Proof of Income, List of Assets, Monthly Expenses, Debts & Credit Report Questions
When you apply for a bad credit loan in Alberta, it’s best to be prepared with your financial information. A lender will want to know your income and what you earn each month from all sources. They’ll want to know if you have any assets you could offer (pledge) as security (collateral). They may want to know what your monthly expenses are too. You should also be prepared to answer any questions they might have about your debts, poor credit, and payment history.
To show your income: gather together things like pay stubs, child support or alimony records, government assistance or child benefit payment details, bank statements and/or tax returns with assessment notices.
If you have assets: bring a list of what you own and what each item is worth. It’s the big things that matter, like cars, trucks, boats, ATVs, motorcycles, trailers, and other vehicles and items that can be appraised. Jewellery, coin or stamp collections, antiques and other heirlooms can only be used as collateral for a loan if they have an authentic, verifiable appraisal certificate to accompany them. Tools, musical instruments, electronics and other expensive household goods can be sold or consigned at pawn shops but can’t typically be used to get a loan. However, some high interest lenders will have people pledge them as token security.
Jotting down your debts & monthly expenses: this can often be the toughest part for most people. When you begin listing everything out, you realize how much you owe and how much you spend. Begin by writing down your housing costs and home utility bills. Then list the essentials such as food, groceries, and medication. Also include transportation expenses and work-related costs too. If you find it a bit tricky to remember all your different expenses or debts and aren’t sure of the best way to organize them, we have a great budget calculator that lists and organizes everything and guides you as you create your budget and does all the number crunching for you. You can access if for free here. You can also learn a whole lot more about budgeting here.
To find answers to questions about your credit report: take a look at your own. You can get a free copy from both TransUnion and Equifax if you request it over the phone. Here are instructions on how to get your credit report for free, and here you can learn how your report is created and the difference between your credit report and your credit score.
important question
Why are you looking for a bad credit personal loan? Depending on your reasons, you might actually have other options available to you that can resolve your debt problems, repair your credit, and get your finances back on track.
However, it’s really important that you first ask yourself a question. Why do I need this loan? Click on your answer below to take a look and see if there may be better options for you:
- This is for an emergency. Your car needs to be fixed, your pet is sick, you have a large dentist bill, you need to travel to see a sick relative, or something else like this.
- You would like to rebuild your credit or improve your credit score.
- You are looking for just one loan with one payment. You’re hoping to work out a more affordable payment by paying off your debt over a longer time period, or your existing interest rates are too high.
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